4 Things to Look for in Smartphones for Mobile Workers

Today’s workforce is increasingly composed of mobile workers. By 2020, nearly 3 in 4 workers will be mobile, International Data Corporation estimates. The growing affordability of smartphones and tablets and the widespread corporate acceptance of BYOD policies is helping promote the trend toward a mobile workforce.

The prevalence of mobile workers makes your company’s selection of smartphones for employees an important business decision. Here are four important features to take into account when choosing smartphones for your mobile employees.

User-friendly Display and Interactive Features

One of the most fundamental considerations when choosing a smartphone is user-friendliness. The most common business function of smartphones is communicating through texting or email, making it important for screen sizes to be large enough for legible display. Experience has shown that users prefer smartphones with larger screens, with demand for screens between 5 and 6 inches outstripping demand for smaller screens, according to IDC data. Additionally, it’s important for data entry and navigational features to support easy touch input for texting and typing. Smartphones that support QWERTY keyboard input can improve employee typing efficiency. While Blackberry is best known for QWERTY input, a number of Android phones now also come with QWERTY input options, and some leading brands such as the Samsung Galaxy line offer QWERTY attachments.

Support for Fast Connectivity

Fast connectivity is essential for effective real-time business communication, making a processor and modem capable of supporting speedy transmission an important consideration in a smartphone. With 5G wireless networks ready to start rolling out this year, you’ll want a smartphone that supports 5G connectivity. Qualcomm has taken a lead in developing 5G smartphone components, and brands such as LG, Sony, HTC and ZTE are all preparing to introduce smartphones featuring Qualcomm Snapdragon-powered 5G modems.

On-device AI Capability

Another important feature on cutting-edge smartphones is support for on-device artificial intelligence applications. AIis having a revolutionary effect on business today, providing companies with analytical insight into big data on marketing, sales and operational efficiency for smarter business decisions. But so far most artificial intelligence applications have depended on the cloud to support the computing power needed for big data analysis, slowing down processing time and limiting functionality. The most recent smartphones eliminate this time lag by removing dependence on the cloud, allowing AI applications to run directly on mobile devices. For instance, the Qualcomm AIPlatform is powerful enough to support on-device artificial intelligence applications, such as smart camera focusing, virtual reality and augmented reality. It also supports AI applications that use machine learning, such as computer vision and natural language processing.

Strong Security Safeguards

Another advantage of on-device AIis that it supports facial recognition and automated real-time intrusion detection, cutting-edge security features in the latest generation of smartphones. Accounting for 72 percent of mobile infections in the third quarter of 2017, according to Nokia data, smartphones have become a primary target for hackers. This makes strong security features an essential feature in your workers’ smartphones. Biometric features such as facial recognition and fingerprint scanning help ensure that only proper owners can access devices. On-device intrusion detection makes it harder for hackers to penetrate smartphones. Other security features to look for include encryption, partitioning of business and personal data and remote wiping capability.

Today’s business smartphone should feature a user-friendly display and input options. It should support fast connectivity for real-time communication. It should offer on-device AI capability to run cutting-edge applications such as facial recognition and virtual reality. And it should include strong security features to keep your business data safe from hackers. Taking the time to find a smartphone with these qualities will increase your employees’ efficiency and productivity while keeping your business secure.